CHAPTER 4 CHAPPER HOUSE Chapper is a rudimentary house type of Sindh. Its walls are made of grasses and leaves. Sometimes they are mud plastered. It has a thatched roof. The materials of which it is made, Sar, Kana and wooden logs are locally available. It seems to have its origin in southcentral Sindh probably in Thatta District. It is widely distributed in Nawabshah, Naushahro Feroze, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhas and Dadu Districts (Fig 4.1). It is associated with a number of tribes like Samma, Sirki, Syed and Bania. With the passage of time changes in the original house have taken place. Today three types of Chapper house are recognized. Bamboo Chapper House (photo 4.2 & 3) Mat and Log Chapper House Mat and Mud Chapper House Construction Bamboo Chapper House The construction of bamboo chapper house involves the use of Kana, Sar, pattar and bamboos. Except bamboos all other construction materials are locally available. Bamboos have to be purchased from the market. The use of bamboos signifies the change that has occurred in the original chapper house. 24
The house construction begins with digging the ground about two feet deep, which forms the plinth. A net of bamboo sticks are placed in the plinth and continued upward up to a height of 12 feet. The net of bamboo sticks is then filled with a mixture of mud and husk. The roof is laid over wooden logs, which are erected at the four corner of the room. A horizontal log is also placed to hold the roof frame, which is made of pattar. Then a layer of Sar and Kana about two feet thick forms the roof. It is plastered with a thin layer of mud. The walls are made of leaves and grasses and are plastered with mud. Mat and Log Chapper House The mat and mud houses are constructed with mat, wooden log, Sar, Kana and mud (Photo 4.4). The land selected for house is covered with a layer of mud two to three feet thick (Photo 4.5). To construct the walls, a number of poles are fixed about four feet apart. The poles are made of tree branches. Further horizontal poles are tied to the vertical poles to impart strength. The wooden frame thus constructed is covered with mat which is plastered with mud. For the construction of roof a row of poles are erected lengthwise in the central part of the rooms. These poles are interconnected with a number of horizontal poles. From the central horizontal pole, a number of poles are laid out up to the frame of the walls. The whole frame of roof is covered with mat. The mat in its turn covered with Sar and Kana to protect the room from heat and rain. Thus a hip-roof is constructed, sloping in opposite directions from the central part of the room. Mat and Mud Brick Chapper House Mat and Mud Brick House is a large house of three or four rooms. It has hip-roofs sloping in opposite direction from the central part of the room (Photo 4.6). For the construction of mat and mud brick house the first step is to make mud bricks. For this mud and rice straw are mixed together. Then bricks are made from this mixture and dried in the sun for three or four days. Ground is then dug about 2-3 feet deep for the 25
construction of walls. In the long ditch made for the foundation of the walls mud bricks are placed. The bricks are joined together with a mixture of mud and lime. From the foundation mud brick walls are raised to a height of 12 to 14 feet. The walls are plastered with a mixture of rice straw and mud. This imparts strength to the walls. For the construction of rooms a net of wooden bars are placed over the walls covering the rooms. Over this net a thatch mat about 6 inches thick is placed. This is plastered with mud and straw to the protect upper surface of the roof. LAY OUT The chapper house comprises the following components (Fig. 4.7, 8 & 9): Rooms Landhi Veranda Courtyard Kitchen Cattle Pen Some variations occur in the various types of Chapper House. Rooms Bamboo Chapper house has one or two rooms. The rooms are usually 10 by 12 feet or 12 by 14 feet. One or two cots are placed inside the room (Photo 4.10). The rooms are used for sleeping in winter (Photo 4.11). In that season cooking is also done inside the room. In summer the rooms are used as shelter from scorching sun in the day-time. At night courtyard is used for sleeping. Rooms do not have windows but they have ventilators. 26
Mat and Log Chapper House The distinctive feature of mat and log chapper house is that besides rooms it has Landhi. Rooms are usually of 12 by 14 feet. To every room a Landhi is attached. Landhi is a large hall 10 x 18 feet in size. An open entrance about 5 to 6 feet is provided with no door. But it has no window. During summer day-time activities are confined in the Landhi. It is also used in winter. The family member sit and gossip there. It is the playing place for the children. Food items are kept there. Meals are taken there. There is also a hearth for cooking food. A room and a Landhi are owned by every family. The number of families in a house varies from one to three. If there are three Landhis, that means three families are living in that house. Mat and Mud Brick Chapper House Mat and mud-brick house is a large house with three or four rooms. The rooms are so laid out that they form a U with rooms on three sides opening in the courtyard. The rooms are large 12 x 20 in size. It has a door in the central part of the walls opening inside the house. Rooms are properly ventilated with windows opening in the veranda and also at the back of the house. It may be pointed out that Bamboo Chapper House and Mat and log Chapper House have no window. Veranda Veranda is a common but not a necessary features of Bamboo Chapper House. Some of the houses have no veranda. The veranda is built by the extension of the roof of the 27
rooms. The roof the veranda rests upon wooden pillars, which are erected for that purpose. Occasionally a room is built on one side the veranda. Veranda is built in Mat and Log House also by extension of the roofs. Landhi also has a veranda. Veranda is a more prominent feature of Mat and Mud-brick House. Once again the veranda is covered the extension of roofs of the rooms. Verand is put to multipurpose uses. It acts as the living place. It is the sleeping place in summer. It acts as a dining place. It is there that female guests are received and entertained. Courtyard A specious courtyard extend out from the built up part of the house. It is there that in summer the male members sleep at night and the evening meal is taken there. Functions like wedding are held there. The kitchen is also there. In summer during day time cooking is done in Landi or in the veranda. Cattle Pen Cattle are also kept in one corner of the courtyard. They also usually live in open. A flimsy shed is provided to protect them from intensive summer heat and winter cold. The courtyard is surround by a thorny bush with one opening acting as entrance to the house (Photo 4.12 & 13). 28